International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) stock — is it a good business?

International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) stock — is it a good business? — InspectStocks

How it makes money

Software44%
Consulting31%
Infrastructure23%
Financing1%

Shares of revenue are estimates for year ended 2025-12-31, high confidence, not figures from a filing.

Competes with

What it sells6

IBM Z z17
A mainframe computer for large, critical workloads such as financial transactions; IBM says it is also designed to run AI work near customers' data.
Red Hat OpenShift
Software businesses use to run and manage applications across different kinds of computer systems and cloud services.
watsonx Orchestrate
Software for building, managing, and governing AI agents—software assistants that can carry out assigned tasks.

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Confluent
Software that moves and manages data in real time so it can be used by applications and AI systems.
IBM Power11
A family of IBM servers used to run business applications and workloads.
IBM Storage
Storage equipment, including flash, tape, and other systems that businesses use to store and manage data.

Who buys it6

Businesses across industries, which buy software through subscriptions, usage charges, support agreements, or software license contracts.
Banks and other financial institutions, which use IBM software and mainframes for critical business systems and transactions.
Retailers and airlines, which use IBM technology for business operations and critical workloads.

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Government organizations, which buy technology and services through government contracts.
Companies hiring consultants for application modernization, data transformation, cybersecurity, and business-process work.
Organizations buying IBM computers or storage equipment, sometimes using IBM financing.

What it stands on, and what could break it

What the business leans on

1Some software sales are tied to customers' mainframe purchases and associated software license agreements, so changes in customers' spending priorities can shift when those sales close.
2IBM relies on critical suppliers and the availability of components to build and deliver computer and storage equipment; the company described supply constraints affecting infrastructure purchases in 2026.
3IBM sells and delivers some work with technology, cloud, and services partners, and says it also competes with some of those partners.
4The business depends on employees with specialized technology and consulting skills.

What could go wrong

1Customers may delay or redirect spending on large software and mainframe purchases. IBM said in its second-quarter 2026 discussion that customers shifted some spending toward servers, storage, and memory, delaying large deals.
2Rapid technology changes and competition could make IBM's products less appealing; the company also identifies possible legal, regulatory, security, and reputation consequences from developing and using AI.
3Supplier problems or infrastructure supply constraints could affect IBM's ability to deliver equipment, while acquisitions and alliances may bring integration challenges or fail to meet their objectives.

Full financial statements →

About International Business Machines Corp.

IBM sells software for running business applications, managing data, automating work, and using artificial intelligence (AI). Its consultants help customers update applications and business processes, including work involving AI, data, and cybersecurity. IBM also sells and supports mainframe and other computer systems and storage equipment, and provides financing to help customers acquire technology.

Head office: Armonk, New York, United States
Founded: 1911
Listed on: New York Stock Exchange
Financial year ends: December 31

Built from International Business Machines Corp.’s own filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Figures are as reported, with per-share history restated onto today’s share basis. This describes a business — it is not investment advice and not a recommendation to buy or sell anything.

Keep exploring

The themes International Business Machines is part of, the highest-graded companies in its industry, and the companies in its sector whose grade rose recently.

The themes it is part of

Highest-graded in Information Technology Services

Graded A or B and worth $2B or more: A first, then the largest.

All 73 graded companies in its industry

Grade rose recently in Technology

Rose to A or B on a filing in the last 90 days, worth $2B or more: largest first.

All grade rises

How it makes money

Software44%
Consulting31%
Infrastructure23%
Financing1%

Shares of revenue are estimates for year ended 2025-12-31, high confidence, not figures from a filing.

Competes with

What it sells6

IBM Z z17
A mainframe computer for large, critical workloads such as financial transactions; IBM says it is also designed to run AI work near customers' data.
Red Hat OpenShift
Software businesses use to run and manage applications across different kinds of computer systems and cloud services.
watsonx Orchestrate
Software for building, managing, and governing AI agents—software assistants that can carry out assigned tasks.

Show 3 more

Confluent
Software that moves and manages data in real time so it can be used by applications and AI systems.
IBM Power11
A family of IBM servers used to run business applications and workloads.
IBM Storage
Storage equipment, including flash, tape, and other systems that businesses use to store and manage data.

Who buys it6

Businesses across industries, which buy software through subscriptions, usage charges, support agreements, or software license contracts.
Banks and other financial institutions, which use IBM software and mainframes for critical business systems and transactions.
Retailers and airlines, which use IBM technology for business operations and critical workloads.

Show 3 more

Government organizations, which buy technology and services through government contracts.
Companies hiring consultants for application modernization, data transformation, cybersecurity, and business-process work.
Organizations buying IBM computers or storage equipment, sometimes using IBM financing.